Faculty . Astrobiologist
Dr. Carl Pilcher
Our minds are products of evolution that selected for our ability to navigate our environment, not to see reality as it is. Hence most of our perceptions are illusions, albeit frequently quite effective ones. Seeing through the illusions can be transformative and liberating.
On the classes I teach
A short introduction in Carl’s own words the questions his courses explore and what students can expect. Watch more at Dharma-College.org.
A few reflections from Carl
What first drew you to explore your inner life?
A desire to be in the world in a way less driven by anxiety and stress.
What are you currently curious about or investigating?
How modern science converges with Buddhist philosophy to show us how our perceptions of the world are generally illusions.
What is one insight that has stayed with you over time?
Don’t believe everything you think! Always ask questions; you are likely to be frequently surprised.
A simple practice you return to:
Sky breathing; Subject-object reversal.
What helps you find balance in daily life?
Family
A place physical or internal that brings you a sense of peace:
Any meditative practice.
A book, teaching, or idea that has influenced you deeply:
Non-duality: that the world is inherently relational and the separations/distinctions we perceive between ourselves and others/objects are not real.
A quote you appreciate:
Reality is not only stranger than we imagine, it’s stranger than we can imagine.
(Paraphrase of a quote from JBS Haldane)
A few words for someone just beginning to explore their mind:
Experiment with practices that enable you to experience the world in a different way.
Something people might not expect about you:
I love a good pun.
Bio
Dr. Carl Pilcher is retired from a career in space science. He holds a B.S. and Ph.D. in Chemistry, the latter from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and an M.P.A. in International Relations from Princeton University. He was on the astronomy faculty of the University of Hawaii for a dozen years before becoming a NASA administrator for almost 3 decades. His professional arc took him from planetary science to serving as Director of the NASA Astrobiology Institute. He is currently an Affiliated Research Scientist with the Blue Marble Space. He began studying ancient teachings in 2015 with a Hindu teacher and joined the Dharma College community as a student in late 2021. Central to his interests are integrating ancient wisdom, particularly of non-dualism, with a modern scientific world view.
Explore the live online courses Carl teaches.